Fluid-distributing apparatus.



C; H. IVIEIGS. FLUID DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1914.

Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETS--SHEET I c. w n/mes. FLUID DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS. APPLICATIONHl .ED JULY 24. I914.

LMQL

' I/IIIIIIIIIIIIIJIY Patented. Jan. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CHARLES H. MEIGS, O15v PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 NATIONALFIRE EXTINGUISHER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF. DELAWARE.

FLUID-DISTRIBUTING- APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters :.Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1991?.

Application filed July 2%, 1914. Serial No. 852,796.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. Mares, a citizen of the United States,and resident of the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphiaand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fluid-Distributing Apparatus, of which the followingis'a specification.

This invention relates to means for distributing fluid, such as in fireextinguishing apparatus and other applications.

As is well known in the art, it is a common practice to supply automaticsprinkler systems or hose and nozzle for distributing a fireextinguishing fluid in case of fire. Such a system of fluid distributionis ordinarily supplied from the water mains which are usually undersuflicient pressure to project the water to the desired points. Ofcourse, a case of fire is always a case of emergency and it is necessarythat the source of the extinguishing fluid should always be availablefor use at the distributing points. Certain chemical solutions and alsogases of a certain constituency have been found to be more efficient inextinguishing fires than the water of the ordinary water supply.

On account of their superior extinguishing qualities, the application ofthe chemical solutions or gases if accomplished in the early stages of afire, may result in extinguishment, whereas the application of ordinarywater might not act so promptly, with the result that the fire mightgain greater headway with corresponding increase in damage anddifliculty of putting out. On the other hand, the supply of speciallyprepared liquid or gas may be limited. Under such circumstances, afailure of the amount of liquid or gas available to put out the firewould leave the structure at the mercy of the flames.

By the present invention a large or unlimited supply of fluid, such asordinary water from mains, is normally available, so that there is atall times extinguishing fluid present in case of emergency, while aspecially treated liquid or gas may be utilized to the desired orpossible extent, and its exceptional advantages availed of withoutinterfering with an ever-present and practically limitless supply ofextinguishing fluid.

The normal supply of extinguishing fluid may, as above noted, beobtained from the ordinary water mains, while a treated solutionmay beobtained from the chemical tank which is stationary or portable incharacter and which is set into operation by the application of pressurefrom without the tank, or by the action of chemicals thrown togetherwithin the tank, such as the emptying of an acid bottle into a sodiumbicarbonate solution, or in other ways suitable and well known in theart.

One object of the invention may therefore be stated to be the provisionof means whereby fluids of different fire extinguishing characters maybe alternately supplied to means for distributing the same to a fire.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of sources offluid, one normally in operative relation to a distributing means andanother in normally inoperative relation thereto and means for shuttingoff the normally operative source and throwing the normally inoperativesource into operative relation to the distributing means.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for controllingthe relative operation of two or more sources of fluid from a distance.

A further object of 'the invention is to automatically control therelative operation of the fluids in response to conditions at apredetermined location.

Other and ancillary objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

While the invention is herein illustrated by reference to fireextinguishing apparatus, in which application it 1s particularly useful,it is not limited thereto but may have -various other applications.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is adiagram showing apparatus embodying the invention, Fig. 2 is an enlargedview showing in side elevation details of the control apparatus for thechemical tank, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through a valve forwhich controlling the admission of fluid to the distributing means, andFig. 4 is an axial section of an automatic thermal device.

Referring to the drawings, A and B rep-. resent the floors of a buildingbetween which may be located a fire extinguishing liquid distributingmeans or system C, automatic means D and means E operated at will,provide for control of the apparatus from any convenient or suitablepoint or points. The distributing devices C are adapted to be suppliedwith water from the main F and also from the chemical tank G, the supplyfrom these sources being controlled by a valve H. In this case, themeans for expelling the chemical solution from. the tank comprises acylinder I containing air under pressure, access of this air to thechemical tank G being controlled by suitable means K.

The chemical tank G is provided with a suitable covered hand-hole 1through which the materials may be charged into the tank, through whichit may be cleaned, or for other purposes. The outlet 2 of the tank hasits intake located near the bottom thereof as shown. A safety valve 3 isalso provided.

In order that pressure may be removed from the tank when it has beenexhausted of its contents to the desired degree, there 1s provided a rod4 sliding through an air-tight bushing or packing 5 and having a float 6at its lower end. At the upper end of the rod is acentrally bored hole 7communi eating with the lateral surface at 8. It will be apparent thatwhen the tank is full or nearly so of liquid, the float will be elevatedand no vent will be provided through the bushing 5. When the liquid inthe tank subsides, however, to such an extent that the opening 8 iswithin the inner end of the bushing 5, communication will be establishedfrom the inside of the tank through the channel 7 with the outsideatmosphere, and any pressure above the atmosphere will be reduced.

To expel the liquid from the tank G, a pressure tank containing, forinstance, air under suitable pressure is connected with the tank througha reducing valve 9, pipe 10 and valve 11. The body of the valve 11 maybe secured to the pressure tank I by being screwed into the top thereofand held in air-tight communication with the fitting 12 communicatingwith the pipe 10, by means of the U-shaped yoke 13 having hooks 14engaging with lugs 15 on each side of the fitting 12. In the bight ofthe U is a screw 16 which may be turned by a hand wheel 17 and which hasa nose 18 entering a-recess in the back side of the valve body. On theopposite side of the valve body from this recess is a nipple 19 adaptedto be forced into air-tight communication with the pipe fitting 12 bymeans of the screw 16. The valve is of any suitable structure adapted toclose when thestem 20 is in elevated position and to be open when thestem is depressed. This stem is provided with the usual hand wheel 21and is in screw-threaded engagement with the arm 22. At one end of thearm 22 a rod 23 is removably entered in a. hole or socket in the arm andextends up- Wardly in the bracket 24 terminating in a button 25. Betweenthe button and the bracket is a spring 26 tending to hold the arm 22 inan elevated position, the rod 23 being secured to the arm 22 by a pin'27. Mounted upon the bracket 24 are upright guide rods 28 upon whichslides the weight- 29. The upper ends of these guide rods are spaced andsecured by a cross-piece 30 in which is mounted a tubular guide 31 inwhich slides a head 32 secured to the weight 29. A dog 33 in the shapeof a bell crank is pivoted at 34 and at its lower end has a hook 35adapted to engage beneath the head 32 and hold the weight in an elevatedposition. The horizontal arm of the dog straddles at its end thebolt-like projection 36 which extends from the magnet plunger 37 andcarries the nuts 38. The magnet 39 for actuating this plunger is mountedupon the support 40 and is supplied with elec tricity from any suitablesource by means of wires connected to the binding posts 41 which are inelectrical connection with the terminals of the magnet coil.

The valve H comprises a body into which lead the pipe 42 from thechemical tank, and the pipe 43 from the Water mains and from which thepipe 44 leads to the distributing devices. Within the body are the ports45 and 46 controlled by the piston valve 47 which slides in the cylinder48. When the pressure in the pipe 43 is greater than that in the pipe42, the valve is moved to the left, shutting off the pipe 42 and placingthe pipe 43 in communication with the pipe 44. If, however, the pressureis greater in the pipe 42 than in the pipe 43, the piston valve moves tothe right, shutting oif the pipe 43 and placing the pipe 42 inconnectlon with the pipe 44. The distributing means in this casecomprises one or more automatic sprinkler heads 49 which may be of thewell known form supplied by pipes as 50 in communication with the pi e44, the valve 51 being provided in the plpe 44 for controlling thesupply of fluid to the automatic sprinkler system. A further fluiddistributing means is illustrated in the hose and.

nozzle 52 such as are common in fire extinguishing systems in buildings,the valve 53 controlling the admission of fluid to the hose. The ressuregage 54 furnishes a means of noting the fluid pressure.

Normally there is low pressure in the chemical tank G, the valve 11being closed. There is consequently low pressure upon the left hand endof the piston valve 47. The pressure of the Water mains, therefore,moves this valve to the left, cutting off the connection with thechemical tank, and placing the supply pipe 43 from the water mains incommunication with the distributing system through the pipe 44. If thepressure tank I is placed in communication with the 3 neit er chemicaltank by opening the valve 11, the pressure in the chemical tank will actthrough the pipe t2 against the end of the valve 4.7, and overcoming theressure of the should be thrown into operation in response toconditions, at a distance, such as rise in temperature in a locationwhere a fire may occur and which is subject to extinguishment by thedistributing apparatus. It is also desirable that a means be provided bywhich the apparatus can be placed in operation at will from a distance.To accomplish the automatic operation, a thermal device D is placedwithin the region to be protected, this being caused to operate by therise in temperature due to a fire. To secure the distant control atwill, one or more push buttons as E may be provided and suitablydistributed. The operation of a push button E or of the device D closesthe circuit of the magnet coil 39 through the wires 55, 56, 57, 58 andthe battery 59, whereupon the magnet becomes energized and lifts itsplunger. The nuts 38 strike the horizontal arm of the bell crank, thehook 35 will be withdrawn from beneath the head 32, the weight 29 willdrop -With force upon the button 25, the arm 22 will be forceddownwardly, and the valve 11 will be opened. Pressure will thus beapplied to the chemical tank with results as before noted.

The thermal device D comprises cylinder 60 having a piston 61 which isadapted to be raised by pressure beneath it. From the lower side of thecylinder extend pipes 62 and 63, which open into the cylinder beneaththe piston and extend to those regions which it is desired to protect.These pipes being closed except for their opening into the cylinder,expansion of air in them due to exposure to heat, will increase thevolume of the air Within the pipes which will enter into the cylinder.This will raise the piston and when it has risen to the top, theelectrical contacts 64: and 65 will engage and close the circuit throughthe magnet coil 39, the contacts 6 1 and 65 being respectively connectedwith the conductors 57 and 58; The communication with the contact 65 ismade by connecting to the body of the cylinder at 66, the contact notbeing insulated therefrom. The contact 64, however, is insulated fromthe cylinder and connection with it is made at 67.

It will be seen from the foregoing that normally the chemical tank Gwill be nearly filled with the proper solution, such as the solution ofsodium carbonate in water. The

turning the hand wheel 21.

float 6 will then be well toward the top of the tank and the ventclosed. The pressure tank I will be charged with a highly compressedfluid, such as air, and the valve 11 will be closed, shutting off thepressure from the chemical tank. The pressure of the water main willtherefore predominate in the valve H and the ordinary water supply willbe in communication with the distributing system in readiness for anyuse or emergency. If, however, the Valve 11 should be opened by thepressing or" a push button E, or the operation of the automatic device Das described or manually opened, the chemical tank will be immediatelyplaced under pressure which will predominate in the valve H over that inthe water supply and the chemical solution will be available in thedistributing system while the water supply is cut off therefrom. As theliquid is ex" hausted from the chemical tank and the float 6 lowers, theventwill pass within the bushing 5 at a predetermined point, usuallywhen the tank is nearly or quite empty. Any pressure remaining in thetank will therefore be rented, and the water main will again be throwninto communication with the distributing system. The water mains arethus disconnected only during the time that the chemical fluid. inoperation, so that some fluid is continuously available at all times.hen the pressure in the tank I becomes depleted, it can be detached andrecharged. -The Withdrawal of the pin 27 permits the arm 22 to bedisconnected from the rod 23, while the backing oii of the screw 16permits the removal of the hooks 14 from the lugs 15. The valve 11 maythen be moved away from the fitting 12. The tank may then be removed andconnected in a similar manner through the valve 11 with a chargingapparatus. Upon completion of the charge, the valve 11 may be closed byThe arm 22 will come against the top of the valve casing and form ameans in which the screw threads can engage to hold the valve closed.The wires 70 and-71 lead to a suitable electrically operated alarm whichis actuated when the circuit is closed at D or E.

While the invention is above illustrated in what is considered its bestapplication, it may have other embodiments without departing from itsspirit. It is not,-therefore, limited to the structure shown in thedrawmgs.

I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent the following z- 1. Thecombination with fluid distributing means, of a source of fluid supplynormally in operative relation with said distributing means, a secondsource of fluid supply, smaller than the first, normally out ofoperative relation with said distributing means, and means for placingsaid second source in operative relation with said distributing meansand disconnecting said normally operative source from said distributingmeans.

The combination with fluid distributing means, of a source of fluidsupply normally in operative relation with said distributing means, asecond source of fluid supply, smaller than the first, of a differentcharacter normally out of operative relation with said distributingmeans, and means for placing said second source in operative relationwith said distributing means and disconnecting said normally operativesource from said distributing means.

3. The combination with fluid distributing means, of a source 'of fluidsupply normally in operative relation with said distributing means, asecond source of fluid supply, smaller than the first, normally out ofoperative relation with said distributing means controlled by conditionsat a desired location, and means for placing said second source inoperative relation With said distributing means and disconnecting saidnormally oper ttive source from said distributing means.

4. The combination with fluid distributing means, of a source of fluidsupply normally in operative relation with said distributing means, asecond source of fluid supply,

- smaller than the first, of a difl'erent characconnectingv saidnormally operative sourcemally in ter normally out of operative relationwith said distributing means controlled by. conditions at a desiredlocation, and means for placing. said second source in operativerelation with said distributing means and disfrom said distributingmeans.

5. The combination with fluid distributing means,of a source of fluidsupply normally in operative relation with said distributing means, asecond source of fluid supply, smaller than the first, normally out ofoperative relation with said distributing means, and heat controlledmeans for placing said second source in operative relation with saiddistributing means and disconnecting said normally operative sourcefrom. said distributing means.

6. In a fire extinguishing system the combination with means fordistributing fluid to the fire, of a source of water supply noroperativerelation with said distributing means, a chemical tank normally out ofoperative relation with said distributing means, and means for placingthe said chemical tank in operative relation with said distributingmeans and shutting off the water supply therefrom. a

7. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination with fluiddistributing means, of a source of water supply normally in operativerelation with said distributing means, a chemical tank of smallercapacity than said source and normally not under pressure, means forapplying pressure to the fluid in said tank, and valve mechanismcontrolled by the ressure of said tank for controlling the ad rhissionof the chemical solution and the water supply to said distribut ingmeans.

8. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination with fluiddistributin means, of a source of water supply normal y in operativerelation with said distributing means, a chemical tank of smallercapacity than said source and normally not under pressure, electricallycontrolled means for applying pressure to the fluid in said tank, andvalve mechanism controlled by the pressure of said tank for controllingthe admission of the chemical solution and the water supply to saiddistributing means.

9. In a fire extinguishing system the combination with means fordistributing fluid to the fire, a source of water supply, normallyconnected therewith, a chemical tank of smaller capacity than saidsource and normally in inoperative relation with said distributing meansand electrically controlled means for placing the chemical tank inoperative relation with said distributing means and disconnecting saidwater supply.

10. The combination with fluid distrib uting means, of a source of fluidsupply normally in operative relation with said distributing means, asecond source of fluid supply normally out of operative relation withsaid distributing means, and means for placing said second source inoperative relation with said distributing means and disconnecting saidnormally operative source from said distributing means and for againplacing the first mentioned source in operative relation with thedistributing means upon the cessation of operation of the chemicalapparatus.

11. In a fire extinguishing system the combination with a fluiddistributing means, of a source of Water supply normally connectedtherewith, a chemical tank normally in inoperative relation. thereto,and means for placing the chemical tank in operative relation with saiddistributing means for disconnecting said water supply, and forreconnecting the water supply upon the cessation of the operation of thechemical apparatus.

12. The combination with fluid distributing means, of a source of fluidsupply normally in operative relation with said dis tributing means, asecond source of fluid supply, smaller than the first, normally out ofoperative relation-with saidv distributing means, and electricallycontrolled means for placing said second source in operative relationwith said distributing means and disconnecting said normally operativesource from said distributing means.

chemical tank, means for applying pressure to the fluid in said tank anda venting de- 15 vice for relieving the pressure within said tank at apredetermined point of exhaustion of the chemical fluid therefrom.

Signed at New York, N. Y., in the county of New York and State of NewYork, this 20 23rd day of July, A. D. 1914. v

v LES H. MEIGS.

Witnesses:

A. H. ABEIL, K. G. Ln Ann.

